1. The biggest musical revelation for me since we last met like this is without a doubt Janelle Monae's sci-fi-tinged pop masterwork The Electric Lady. The album is magnificent and I can't promise it won't move higher in the rankings before all is said and done. Lady finds Monae and co. happily taking residence in the adventurous, futuristic, space-age wonderland that Daft Punk was seemingly so eager to give up so that they could give us this year's Random Access Memories--a largely well-made, well-produced, joyless listening experience (with a few notable exceptions) that was so far from the dance-driven, electro-pop (often soulful), and FUN work that had preceded it. Janelle Monae embraces this vacant space and expands upon it to create an album that is just as much a unique and imaginative narrative as it is a collection of songs. Though it doesn't hurt that in pursuit of developing a "concept album", Monae has delivered an abundace of great pop songs. And there's a duet with Prince. PRINCE Buy. This. Album.

2. Having said all that, I am both surprised and perplexed at how much I damn hard love "Doin' It Right" from the aforementioned Daft Punk album (I told you there were a few notable exceptions). And it's a collaboration with Panda Bear (I mean seriously, look at this doucher)--one of my sworn enemies due primarily to the fact that I hate him and his fans and everything he stands for and his pesky habit (labored breathing) of making one super rad song (another being "Bros", for instance) for every hundred borderline unlistenable songs that I end up loving which inevitably leads to my continued self-loathing and discontent about my place in the world of music consumption and beyond.

3. Exactly one week from today, I will be in the midst of my first Austin City Limits Music Festival Experience where on Day 3 I will literally be forced to choose between Thom Yorke and Lionel Richie. And the fact that this is a true dilemma for me speaks to the odd place I find myself both in terms of age and outlook. Thom Yorke is like the Batman of my music universe and thus a hero and icon beyond compare or reproach in my eyes. But Thom Yorke never gave me this. And that's just a fact.